Google might be planning a purge of zombie apps on Play Store

According to The Next Web, Google has started sending out an email to developers whose apps do not have a privacy policy, warning that their apps may eventually be removed if no action is taken. This move might finally get rid of millions of so-called “zombie apps” in the Play Store.

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If you own an Android phone, you may already know this: the Play Store is filled with zombie apps that are awful or useless or both. Well, Google knows this, and it seems the latest notices it’s been sending out to developers are an effort to clean up the Play Store.

As you can see from the image above, the developers that are receiving this email from Google are lacking one thing: a privacy policy. Google is giving them until mid-March to fix it, or else the visibility of these apps might be restricted or they may be removed from the Play Store altogether, Google warns.

Now, it’s entirely possible that a developer might have unintentionally left out a privacy policy; however, what’s far more likely is that Google’s move specifically targets those poor-performing, unverified, amateur filler apps. Without proper maintenance or without proper expertise, these apps will remain without a privacy policy and eventually be removed.

This move is great news for several reasons. For the end-user, it means that you know exactly what you’re signing up for. Whichever app you’re using, it should be made clear the terms to which you are agreeing and to what extent you are forfeiting your privacy. Not only that, this means search results won’t be filled with irrelevant, useless or sometimes even harmful apps. Your keyword searches will render more accurate results, benefitting the developers that follow Google’s guidelines.

Whereas Apple has a tight control over which apps enter its App Store, Google has always been laxer. However, as its platform matures, so must its Play Store. Although it’s unclear just how effective this potential purge will be, it definitely seems like a step in the right direction.

Whereas Apple has a tight control over which apps enter its App Store, Google has always been laxer. However, as its platform matures, so must its Play Store.

What are your experiences like with these zombie apps? Annoying or doesn’t bother you that much? Let us know by leaving a comment below!